I bought myself a dirty hippy van. Last week I took a gamble on a vintage Volkswagon Vanagon. I was her knight in shining armor. Her my companion for the open road. The adventure is on.

Take a look at how I found her in Hammond, Oregon. Plopped in a mud puddle. Unloved. Covered in bright green duct tape. My baby started right up, and I went for a test drive. The seller had to move immediately, so I scored the van for less than it’s worth – just $1,300.

Don’t duct tape your car kids. It sounds cool, but it’s NOT. I’ve spent four plus hours peeling tape off of the paint, and getting the goo removed with citrus cleaner. There’s still disgusting residue on it. Plus, there was some water underneath.

Look at it! Cleaning this should be a form of torture. My finger tips hurt.

She broke down on day two. Blew a hose and a belt. It cost $65 cash to get her towed across town to a trusted mechanic.

Yesterday I had to introduce my baby to Seaside Oregon’s finest surfing destination, The Cove. I shot this HD video walk around, and filmed the interior. I have lots of work to do, but at least the VW is clean. I scrubbed the carpets and upholstery, and they came out fresh, exceeding my expectations. Thanks to my Dad for helping gut her. It was a big job, but now the Vanagon is in acceptable camping condition. What should I name the Volkswagon? Lots more soon. Comment if you like. Best wishes.